Wednesday 30 April 2014

Books | Lauren Conrad - Beauty

 
As much as I love spending hours pouring over different beauty blogs I still love having a read of an actual book. I can't quite remember where or how I stumbled upon this book but Lauren Conrad's Beauty book was definitely the start of a beauty romance. I had always been fond of make up and skin care but didn't know what to do with either so a lot of what I did was just from experimentation. I'm still a novice in lots of areas, with lots to learn but this book really helped me to learn the basics.
 
Lauren covers a lot of different area's in her book including, skin care, hair care and even delves into how stress can affect you and your body. Whilst each section only scratches the surface its a great starting point. There are plenty of how-to's with a good mixture of pictures and text. With Lauren being the winged liner queen, it was only right I learnt from the best, and this is something she covers in the book.

Since the Beauty edition, Lauren has also released a Style addition which I have yet to get my hands on, I will soon though as I've loved her style from way back when she was in Laguna Beach & The Hills. You can pick up Beauty from Amazon here for only £10.34 (who thinks up these random prices?!)

Have you read any beauty books? I'd love to pick up a couple more so suggestions are welcome!

K x

Saturday 26 April 2014

Change Up Wishlist

Feel Unique Wishlist


Change is not some I like, in actual fact I will do anything I can to avoid it. If things are working for you why would you look to seek something else? Well I've realised that doesn't get me too many places so recently I have been trying to get out of my comfort zone and try new things/brands that I wouldn't normally go for. So one rainy afternoon I decided to pick out a few items from different brands that I'd like to get my hands on in the future.

Redken All Soft Gift Set - £21 - My name is Kelly and I have a massive problem...with frizz! No matter what products I try, whether I blow dry or let my hair dry naturally I will always end up with my hair looking like a big ball of frizz. For some reason my boyfriend loves my 'crazy hair' but that does not make me want to keep it. It promises to smooth, de-tangle, nourish AND control frizz - where do I sign up?! As Redken products are, in my opinion pretty pricey, they are not something I want to pick up on a whim so this set will mean I get to test out the products and save my self a few pennies too. 

Save the Blow Dry Moisture Eliminating Queen of Shower Caps - £9.95 - I'm a big fan of shower caps, I cant be doing with washing my hair everyday but showering can be quite difficult without using a shower cap. Currently I'm sporting a Rudolf shower cap with a nose and everything which is soooo last season so its about time I got an upgrade. This one sounds perfect, I've seen a lot of people reviewing it lately and I've only seen good words written about it. Its dual purpose too, so you can use it as a shower cap to keep moisture out so there are limp locks in sight but its also reversible so you can use for hair masks which I think is a bloody brilliant idea!  

Clarasonic Mia 2 & Lancome Set - £125 - I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone what a massively hyped electrical beauty item this is, so I'm sure its no surprise that I want it! Yes, £125 is a lot for something you'll use to cleanse your face when you can buy a pack of flannels from Primark for about £1.25 but I can just imagine how glowing my skin would look if I used this! It also comes with a limited edition Lancome set which I haven't tried anything from so I'm killing two birds with one stone here - how money saving of me ;) 

St. Tropez Self Tan Starter Kit - £12.75 - Living in the UK means we are not blessed with the most sunniest of weathers so lots of people look to fake tan to summer themselves up. I'm still stuck in my pale rut and I have to say I have never dabbled with fake tanning - yes I've used Rimmel's Instant Tan - who hasnt! - but I haven't tried the proper stuff. Its safe to say I know NOTHING about fake tan but I do know that St. Tropez is up there in the fake tan stakes so its only right to start with the best, this little set will definitely help me get on the glow ladder before summer approaches. 

Elemis The Gift of Great Skin Collection - £30 - Shopping channels are my guilty pleasure, specifically QVC. Whilst I've yet to purchase anything, that's where you'll find me when they are showing something beauty related. That is where I've come to learn about Elemis, its so heavily featured but I've always been a bit of a wuss to purchase so when I saw this little collection on Feel Unique I thought it would be perfect to test out a few items before buying big. It has the very well known Flash Balm included - what it does I don't know but I need it!

With last weekends 15% off sale on Feel Unique I was so tempted to pick up a few items but with my bank account looking very sorry for its self right now I managed to stay away - or in other words my boyfriend had to keep closing the window at the check out page - how very rude!

What products/brands would you like to try? Anything you think I should pick up? 

K x

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Game Changing Face Mask!






Everyone loves a good face mask, don't they? For me I like taking 20 minutes out of a busy week to sit down and relax - and my boyfriends like it because I have to be quiet! I have to admit that I never really see the benefits masks have on my skin, I thought maybe I haven't been choosing the right type of mask for my skin type but nonetheless I still use them without fail. That was until I tried the Dead Sea Spa Magik Algimud Active Seaweed Mask! I have never used a mask like this before, it was a total new experience for so many different reasons. 

First off I've never had a mask where I've had to make it up from powder. I obviously didn't read the packaging very well as I was quite surprised when I opened it to find a packet of powder and a wooden stick! Once you've added the required amount of water your left with a very thick somewhat gunky green mess. The instructions told me to apply thickly and to keep away from my hairline, eyes and eyebrows which is quite common with face masks so I kind of took that with a pinch of salt - FYI do not get this on your eyebrows! It hurts like a bitch to get off! The mask does set quite fast so do make sure you apply pretty quick as it can become unusable in the bowl quite quickly. 

Once I applied I sat down with my magazine and a cup of tea (which I could only drink half of as my face went rock hard!) after a short while I could really feel the mask getting stiff although it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling that you usually get with clay masks as they dry - this one still looked wet. 

I was dreading taking this mask off, as on the packaging it was described as a peel off mask which I have to admit are not my favourite type of mask at all. They hurt so much when you peel them off that I often wonder if they are worth the hassle. But this little baby was a dream! If you have ever had a manicure where they use paraffin wax, think of it like that. You just wiggle the bottom of the mask by your chin and slowly lift the mask off your skin and it comes off so easily, so much so that it comes off in one go still fully intact! 

As I mentioned earlier I don't usually see the effects of a mask but this was totally different, as soon I took it off my skin felt smooth as a babies bum, and really plump! Looks wise it looked radiant and glowing and not red and sore at all which I would normally get from a peel off mask. The next day I was still reaping the benefits - I managed to have a no make up day!  

I picked this up in Tesco when the Spa Magik products were on offer but for £3.60 at full price it will definitely be something I pick up again in the future. Generally speaking for me this is on the expensive side as you can pick up a mask from Boots or Superdrug for around the £1 mark but when I know the results are so good I can justify it for a treat when my skin needs a pick me up - which is quite often at the moment. 



Have you ever tried the Spa Magik Mask or anything else from them? 

K x

Saturday 19 April 2014

Empties #3


These kind of posts are my favourite as you get to see what people have been using up and you a get a mini review all in one, they are also one of my favourite to write although mine tend to turn into super long reviews because I ramble on so much - hopefully you don't mind too much :) So onto the reason your here...

Radox Coconut Kiss Shower Cream - This has a gorgeous smell about it, think holiday and coconut cocktails. Its fairly moisturising on the skin but nothing I'd write home about. I'm not sure I'd pick this one up again unless maybe if it is on offer when I'm picking up holiday bits. 

Herbal Essences Bee Strong Shampoo and Condition - I'd be lying if I said I didn't pick this up purely because of how amazing Nicole Scherzinger looked on all the advertisements - surely I cant be alone?! I also like getting smaller bottles of shampoo and conditioner as my hair always tends to get a bit complaisant after I use the same one for too long. This little duo was great for my dry damaged hair, it really brought it too life and looked and felt a lot stronger and shinier. As with all Herbal Essences products it smelt amazing! I'll definitely be picking up another set in the future. 

Garnier Pure Active Fruit Energy Daily Gel Wash - Apart from having a really long name (I even shortened it!) this product is a fav of mine. I used this in morning as it had a really fresh smell that woke me up as well as giving my skin a good refresh. It was really gentle on my skin, I even used to wash off the pesky mascara that stuck around after the previous night's cleanse and it didn't sting at all. My current morning cleanser really isnt living up to this one so I'll definitely be repurchasing very soon! 

YSL Top Secrets Eye Make-Up Remover - I received a little sample bottle of this in a set at Christmas and I put off using it for quite sometime as at £24 for 100ml I was worried that I was going to fall in love and want to repurchase but fortunately for my bank balance I really didn't love this. Yes it removed my eye-make up but no better than a micellar water which is a lot more cost effective, it even left an oily residue behind which really didn't sit well with my skin. Its safe to say this is not going to put in my shopping bag anytime soon. 

Bourjous Healthy Mix Serum - I remember this one of my first ever beauty blog induced purchases way back in summer last year! I was so intrigued by all the hype I just had to get it. This for me is right up there in the foundation stakes, it sits well on my skin, gives coverage as its so build-able and didn't break me out at all. It gives a really healthy glow to the skin and blends in so well using my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. 

Dove Go Fresh Nourishing Body Wash - Not much to say about this one in all honesty, it smelt pretty nice, underneath the pomegranate and lemon you can smell the signature Dove scent which is really comforting. It lathered up well in my but I have to say I think next time I'll pass on this one and try something different. 

I hope you liked seeing my recent empties - I'd love to take a look at yours so please do leave a link below!

K x

Friday 18 April 2014

I'm Getting Organised!

Recently I found that I've been posting willy nilly so I thought if I had set days when I'll post it will hopefully it get me more organised :)   

So I've decided that I'm going to post every Wednesday and Saturday at around 12pm. Look out for my new post tomorrow but in the mean time I'll leave you with this cute picture that made me smile...


P.S dont forget you can follow me on Pinterest and Twitter too! Oh and don't forget Instagram!

K x

Wednesday 16 April 2014

My First Beauty Swap

 A few months back I noticed that Kat from Tales of a Pale Face was helping bloggers get together to take part in a beauty swap! Knowing that its been something I've wanted to take place since I first reading blogs I signed my self up straight away. I didnt think anything else of it until I received an email from Kat introducing me to Julie from Just Julie who I would be swapping with! We agreed a budget and chatted about the things we were interested and set a date for when we would be done by. 


I received my parcel at work, it was tempting me all day to open it but I did just about manage to wait until I got home that evening. Inside the box each item was individually wrapped so it was like my birthday had come early! There was even a little note but I had to wait until the end to open this.


As Julie knew I hadn't been sleeping so well as of late I received A French Kiss bath melt from Lush which I could smell as soon as I opened the package! I cant wait to try this whilst burning the French Lavender Yankee Candle that I also received in a very cute purple candle holder which will sit well on my dressing table when I'm done in the bathroom. 

One thing I did mention to Julie was that I was looking to get into the whole brow malarkey as I havent yet dipped my toe into that side of beauty so I was really pleased to see the Sleek Eyebrow Stylist, I've heard so many good things about this and even Julie herself uses this so I knew it must be good. I've had a little dabble with it and so far I'm liking it! I think it is going to take me a little while to get the hang of the whole brow thing but with this little baby I don't think it will take me long. 

Staying on the eye theme I also received a Rimmel 5 Pan Eyeshadow in Foggy Grey which has a good assortment of neutral colours including a black with a slight silver shimmer running through which will be great for creating a smokey eye! Next up I received a L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire liquid lipstick in the colour Fuchsia Drama which weirdly enough we both got each other, although I cant quite remember the shade I got Julie! I've used this already and I only have good things to say about this. To match the lipstick there was a Rimmel nail polish in Dont Be Shy which I know will be my go to spring/summer shade!

As Julie knew I was having a terrible time with my skin she thought Lush's Grease Lightening would be a product I needed in my life, and she wasn't wrong. I've used this already as the day I'd received the parcel my skin had broken out, it really calmed down my naughty skin and so far hasn't dried it out. Lastly I received a trio of products which I cant wait to try out, its the shampoo, conditioner and hair mask from Charles Worthington's Salon at Home Moisture Seal range which as the name suggest is designed for dry hair. I'm hoping that this will add some much needed nourishment to help soften up my dry locks. 


Overall I am so pleased with everything that Julie chose for me, I know she put a lot of thought into each and every item. I loved the little note she made which explained the reasoning for each product as it made it extra special. I have learnt a lot from my first swap swap and I cant wait to take part in another one! I even managed to tick off a 101 things in 1001 days list! Now you've seen what I received, take a look at what I got for Julie here

Thanks again Julie! 

K x

Saturday 12 April 2014

Review | Clinque All About Eyes Rich



Under eyes for me had never seemed to be a problem area  - that was until a couple of months ago. I started to get a dry patch right under my eye which was very red and sore. I thought it had to be the Garnier Micellear Water which I recently swapped into my routine. I'm not sure if that was the cause but needless to say it hasn't made an appearance since. As I'd never suffered with this problem before I had no magic cream in my stash that I thought would help sooth and bring back my skin to its normal healthy state so I popped down to Bentalls (our local department store) and headed to the Clinique stand as I knew that they would definitely be able to find something to suit. After speaking to the lovely lady on the counter she recommended the All About Eyes Rich for its moisturising qualities as well helping with puffiness and dark circles. For £25 for only 15ml I was a little worried that it wouldn't live up to its claims and I'd be stuck with an eye cream that didn't work but I was worrying for nothing. It was just what I needed.
 
It look a couple of days (I used it morning and night) for it to start working it magic but each morning I noticed the dry patch was looking more moisturised and started decreasing in size. I hadn't been concerned with dark circles under my eyes before but as the weeks passed I noticed that it had reduced the small amount of dark circles I did have. I have now been using this for about two months and its totally got rid of the dry patch and become an everyday essential in my skin care routine. When forgetting to take this with me on a weekend away I really noticed the different when not using it - now I'll never be without it!

You can pick this up from your local Clinique stand or here on the Clinique website where at the moment you can pick up a free takeaway trio when you spend over £40 and with free delivery what's not to love!

K x


Thursday 3 April 2014

A Little Thank You

 
Last week I got a little email that made me beam. It was a little notification from Bloglovin that I hit 100 followers! Now I'm super happy about this, mostly because I didn't think that any would read the gobbledlygook I talk about let alone follow! Don't worry this isn't going to turn into a self loving post. Just a little thank you to everyone that checks back at any new (sporadic - more on that soon!) posts, and thank you for sticking with me :)
 
K x